


The Fall

by LeedlingwithRageHappy



Series: Prompt Challenge 2016 [8]
Category: Rooster Teeth/Achievement Hunter/Funhaus RPF
Genre: Alternate Universe - Mythology, Fluff and Angst, God/Mortal Love, M/M, One Shot, joelay - Freeform, practice writing
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-05-15
Updated: 2016-05-15
Packaged: 2018-06-08 16:42:03
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,537
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6863941
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LeedlingwithRageHappy/pseuds/LeedlingwithRageHappy
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When a God falls in love with a mortal, it becomes more than he could ever dream of</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Fall

**Author's Note:**

> Prompt #50: A creation myth

Being God of the Underworld wasn’t an easy task, but Joel did his best to make sure every soul was in its proper place. From the Elysian fields to the River Styx, there was plenty to occupy Joel’s mind, but his heart was always yearning for something more. Order became too monotonous as did not needing to put his thoughts into the work and company was sparse as well since most feared him, not even giving Joel a chance to prove himself. This made the god somewhat bitter but in the end he decided he didn’t need inconsistent people in his world anyways.

One day, Joel managed to slip away from his work for just a moment and found himself wandering around a small garden in the land of the mortals. Joel had never seen such beauty, having spent most of his time in the dark underworld and he was instantly captivated by the mixture of red and green. Looking around to make sure he was alone, Joel reached out to touch the petals of a rose, the color so inviting compared to the greys he lived amongst.

“Careful,” someone said behind him, causing he, the god of the underworld to jump. 

The stranger laughed softly and joined Joel at his side. “It’s just my mother wouldn’t like knowing some strange man was touching her roses.” 

Joel stared at the man before him, his eyes trailing from the dark hair to the deep brown eyes that looked right back. His mouth went dry as he struggled to comprehend the warmth that was growing in the pit of his stomach.

“My apologies,” the god finally managed out and took a step back.

“Here,” the younger man gestured, leaving Joel to watch as he reached towards the back of the bush and cut off a hidden rose with a small knife. “I’m sure she won’t miss this one.”

Hesitantly, Joel took the rose from the man’s hand, letting their fingers touch as he did so. A spark shot through Joel’s body, seeming to freeze every muscle, and he could only blink at first. “...Thank you.”

“Think nothing of it,” The young man smiled softly before he took to tending to the roses. “My name is Ray. Yours?”

Knowing mortals held some other name for him, Joel had no qualms sharing the one he had for himself and the young man looked pleased with the god’s answer. 

“Joel...I like it. Will I see you tomorrow then?”

Heaviness filled Joel’s heart upon seeing Ray’s hopeful face and slowly shook his head. “No, I have other matters to attend to. I’m not quite sure when I’ll be back in...your town.”

“Oh...all right,” Ray replied softly, but seemed to do his best to put on a smile. “At least you’ll have the rose to remember me by.”

Joel returned Ray’s expression, nodding his goodbye and hesitantly proceeded back towards woods where he had hid his entrance to the underworld. Looking back at the bushes of roses, determination filled Joel’s heart as he told himself this wouldn’t be the last time he would see Ray and he disappeared from sight.

~

Ray’s flower wilted quickly without warmth from the Overworld and Joel’s happiness faded with it as well. 

When he had first returned, Joel had a new sense of pride for his work, knowing that there was at least one person who thought well of him. The underworld had started to change and the arriving souls didn’t have the same look of apprehension as those in the past. It wasn’t until the petals started falling off one by one that Joel knew his good fortune wasn’t to last.

His only solution was that maybe, just maybe if he saw Ray one more time, things would be right in his world again. Even with his heavy load of work, just a glance couldn’t hurt. Grimacing, Joel decided that since he was in fact a god, he could do as he pleased once in a while and made himself appear on the surface in an instant. 

It took him a moment to find his bearings, but upon seeing a clutter of rosebushes near a white home, Joel knew he had found the right place. Then, a nervousness he had never felt before grew and he stopped in his tracks. In a way, he was slightly embarrassed that he, a god, had been reduced to this state.

“I thought I’d never see you again,” Ray’s voice drifted from above him and Joel looked up to see the young man leaning over the edge of a wall that sat across from the rose bushes. 

“It has been a few months, hasn’t it?” Joel replied, quickly making his way over to Ray.

The young man’s eyebrows raised in an amused state. “Six to be exact.”

“Oh.” The god hadn’t realized it had been that long, but then again, time moved a bit differently in the underworld. 

“But now you’re finally back. Will you make me wait that long again when you have to leave later?”

Letting out a sigh, Joel couldn’t help gazing at Ray’s figure leaning on the wall’s edge. The way his dark hair fluttered in the wind, matching his eyes but contrasting his skin was so complex yet quite simple at the same time. Joel wished nothing more than to take that image of Ray with him and a need started to take over his thoughts. 

“What if you came with me?” Joel blurted out. Immediately, he looked away, silently reprimanding himself. He hardly knew the other man, let alone what bringing a mortal into the underworld would do to the balance of life. 

Glancing back at the wall, Joel backed up in surprise to see that Ray was gone. Now, he felt that he surely made things worse until a hand landed on his arm.

“All right.”

“What?” Joel breathed out, feeling his mind swirl with Ray near and the words hitting him all at once.

“I’ll come with you. It’s not like they appreciate me here anyways,” the young man shrugged.

Joel reeled back before catching himself to question Ray further. “But, where I’m taking you, it’s nothing like here at all. There’s no sun, no other living beings, no flowers-”

“Then, I will plant some once we arrive,” the young man interrupted. “I know what you are, Joel. I have been gifted visions of you by the gods and I’m not afraid.”

Furrowing his brows, Joel thought about which God’s work this was since none of them particularly paid him any mind. 

“Take me with you, please,” Ray spoke softly, his grip tightening on Joel’s arm. 

Despite his initial resistance, Joel found himself being consumed by the idea of having a companion with him in the underworld and began leading Ray to the entrance. When they finally reached the portal, Joel stopped and turned to Ray.

“If you are ever unhappy at any time, I will let you return here, but once you eat something in my world, you must stay for-”

“Half the year. I know the stories, Joel,” Ray grinned. “We give your altars respect just like the other gods.”

Feeling the familiarity of happiness grow inside of him, Joel took Ray’s hand in his own and led them through to the world of the dead. 

~

True to his word, Ray planted seeds wherever he found something like soil and Joel did his best to keep them alive, advising Ray to plant closer to the Elysian fields. Roses began to bloom and with it, the underworld began to change as well into something less fearful and more comforting to those who entered. Even other gods paid Joel’s realm a visit more often than usual, though he was sure it was to spend time with Ray than himself. 

Ray’s absence from the Overworld did not go unnoticed however, answering one of Joel’s lingering questions. A new season had formed where nothing grew on the land and coldness enveloped all. It made the world bleak like his own, but he somehow still received offerings upon his altars. Many stories were tossed around but the one Joel enjoyed most was that this change of weather was his way of showing his undying love for Ray. It was rumored that spring symbolized Ray’s return to the mortals, which included Joel becoming too focused on his work to cause the stillness of the earth.

Joel and Ray were never sure if this was really the truth, but accepted it anyways, just happy that gods and humans alike had accepted their bond. In fact, their love flourished in the underworld and though Ray took some pleasantries during his return to the surface, the two men were much happier when they were reunited after the long months apart. 

Breaking from his thoughts, Joel searched around for Ray and found the man examining some bushes by the river. It took him no time at all to make his way over before taking Ray in his arms to hold him close, reassuring himself that it wasn’t simply a dream. The young man’s hand fell upon his own and Joel smiled, knowing that Ray was his to have forever.


End file.
